We all have great memories of Christmas Eves, and I would like to share mine. The remarkable house shown above was my moms for 62 years before she passed away this fall at 94.  I grew up in this old farm house in Berea as did my siblings.  It has now been sold to a wonderful new family, and those kids will love that place as much as we did.  That house was also the home of some of the most amazing Christmas Eve party's ever.

This house was built in 1853 and has stories to tell, especially at this time of year.  For many years, I would say at least 20, maybe more, it was the home of CE party's that no one needed an invite to. My mom and brother especially were theater people and our home had been the official "Cast Party" house in the summer time, with actors, students and crew from the Berea Summer Theater coming over dozens of times a season and staying entirely too late. Many who attended those went on to good things in Hollywood or Broadway, including the late John Michael Tebelek, who wrote the smash hit play Godspell.  They loved the house, remembered it, and the community decided it was the best place to have a CE party.

So we did.  No invites ever really went out and tons of people came every year.  Then my friends, family and family friends, neighbors, and people that I'm not sure anyone knew, but we all had fun. We made fires in the fireplaces and had drinks, food, singing, music and just a great time.  In a very interesting mixture of people, and many with zero really in common, everyone really seemed to like each other, and remembered each other the next year.

There were GREAT singers and players there from the theater.  One of my moms great friends was the organist from the Cleveland Orchestra and he would play the piano, while dozens of others sang - WELL I might add. Local TV legend Mr. Jingaling was there many years his name was Earl Keys and was a great friend of my moms.  And one year a guy named Bruce came and played the bag pipes as he walked down the street and into the party.  We all remember that.

This fall as we sold that old house, many of those people who spent so many Christmas Eves with us there, came back one last time to choose artwork from my mom they wanted and to say goodbye to an old friend. The Old House. I have to admit I was transported back to those times that weekend. So many came back to see it one last time.  My friends came and it was sad to know that was their last time there too.  But it filled me up to have them there and I'm so glad they came.

If I live to be 100, I  will never forget those wonderful years, holidays and times.  And the people, the ones that were there and those who could not be will always be with me. I sincerely hope the wonderful new owners have memories made there like those I've spoken of.  That house is famous, and has been well known to those who never lived there. Those were great times, at a one-of-a-kind place.

Christmas Eve, at The Old House...for me, there was nothing really like it...